Key events
New York mayor Eric Adams to hold news briefing soon
Conditions are murky with a light but brisk breeze. Fire Department Scuba teams are emerging from the water.
New York City mayor Eric Adams is expected at the pier shortly to talk to those assembled, including the media. The tourist helicopter that went down is not visible from the city end of the pier at this to me, as the emergency authorities continue to work the scene.
The helicopter was a tourist helicopter, which took off from lower Manhattan, media reports say. It crashed on the New Jersey side of the Hudson river.
Rescuers are trying to secure the wreckage, which can be seen floating upside down in the river.
Joanna Walters
In steady rain and light winds, a large number of emergency response craft are circling in the grey water of the Hudson and a series of fire and police personnel are coming and going under an incident tape stopping public and press from reaching the end of a long concrete pier sticking into the river from downtown Manhattan.
Six people killed in crash, media reports say
An official has told the AP and ABC News that all six people onboard are dead. A New York City police spokesperson said that police boats were assisting in the rescue efforts on the Hudson, but details such as how many people were onboard were not immediately available.
The helicopter was carrying a pilot, two adults and three children, according to law enforcement sources. The family members were tourists from Spain, sources told ABC News.
The FAA has released a preliminary statement, saying:
A Bell 206 helicopter crashed and is submerged in the Hudson River in New York City. The number of people on board is unknown at this time. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The @NTSB will lead the investigation and provide any updates.
Several people reportedly killed in crash
There are conflicting reports about the number of fatalities, but several media reports say a number of people have been killed in the crash.
According to ABC News, five people have died while rescuers are searching for a sixth person in the Hudson River.
News reports said a family from Spain and the pilot were on board. ABC News quoted law enforcement as saying the family were two adults and two children visiting New York City.
A helicopter crashed on Thursday afternoon into the Hudson River in New York City, city authorities said.
New York’s fire department said it had received a report of a helicopter in the huge tidal waterway that runs up the west side of Manhattan at 3.17pm ET.
Videos posted on social media showed the aircraft mostly submerged and upside down, as well as rescue vehicles crowding the streets on shore as an attempt to save those on board got under way.
FDNY said it had units on scene performing rescue operations. Multiple rescue boats were seen on video circling the aircraft.
The rescue craft were near a site close to the Manhattan waterfront, near the end of a long maintenance pier for one of the ventilation towers for the Holland Tunnel, a busy under-river road tunnel connecting the city with New Jersey.
This is a developing story. We’ll bring you the latest updates as we have them.
